


A Streetkid Mercenary, a Corporate Agent, and a Rockerboy Terrorist

by Nightman215



Category: Cyberpunk 2077 (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Developing Relationship, Established Relationship, Eventual Happy Ending, F/F, F/M, Feelings, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Multi, Non-Consensual Voyeurism, One-Sided Attraction, Past Torture, Porn With Plot, Semi-Public Sex, Shameless Smut, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-31
Updated: 2021-02-04
Packaged: 2021-03-11 05:40:26
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 21,074
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28459905
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nightman215/pseuds/Nightman215
Summary: A Streetkid and a Corpo. What a pair, Johnny thought. He wished he had his body back. He could use a drink or two. Preferably a shelf's worth actually.-This is my first fanfic. I don't care for the endings, Jackie dying, the chip killing V, or the fact that Meredith is a one night stand. So here's my rendition of events.
Relationships: Judy Alvarez/Evelyn Parker, Meredith Stout/Male V, Misty Olszewski/Jackie Welles
Comments: 44
Kudos: 115





	1. The Introduction

There were a lot of qualities that about V that Johnny liked and didn’t like. His extensive knowledge of medicine and emergency surgery made him wonder just what the hell was V doing freelancing instead of working for Trauma Team. Something about a “misunderstanding” between him, a member of the board, and his wife. It was the first time Johnny laughed for a long while. Still, if it wasn’t for V and the medkit he had brought with him during the botched heist, Jackie would have bled out. But in hindsight, the chip would have resurrected him, and Johnny would be in the ex-Valentino’s head instead of V’s. Not to say that he didn’t like Jackie, but the rockerboy doubted things would be as interesting as they were with V.

Another was his compassion. V wore his heart on his sleeve. He would have long talks with him when they were alone, making him look back at the decisions he made, asking about Alt, Rogue, and about his band. Johnny burned every relationship he had, he used them for his own ends, ignoring them when they called him out. Whereas V was fiercely loyal to people he called his friends. Case in point, bringing Viktor the eddies as soon as he had them. Ripperdocs were illegal despite their necessity, so Viktor had no real way of getting his money back without going to the authorities and getting himself arrested. Most would have taken advantage of that fact, but V brought him the money anyway. It made Johnny think, how different things would have been if V were in his shoes.

V also had a talent for picking up skills fairly quickly. He’d picked up the netrunning slack since T-Bug’s death, becoming fairly adept, better than her but nowhere near Alt’s level in the rockerboy’s humble opinion. He was able to make tech sniper rifles from used NiCola cans and ash trays, selling them for higher the price than the sum of their parts. He also started practicing with Saburo’s katana, the emperor likely fuming from whatever server his engram was on, a _gaijin_ using his ancestral blade. It made Johnny smile just thinking about it. Takemura wasn’t pleased though, and after several failed attempts at reclaiming the weapon, the corporate samurai settled for giving V a few pointers on the finer aspects of swordsmanship. But with all his prowess for combat and tech, it seemed his talents didn’t reach towards music, all of Johnny’s guitar lessons ending with V embarrassing himself. Oh well.

Then there were the other aspects that Johnny made him shake his head. His naivety was one. V had been raised on the streets, but given the way he acted, he could have been mistaken for a nomad. The kid was too honest, too trusting. It was a quality than endeared him to most, but allowed him to be taken advantaged of on more times than Johnny could count. It was nothing short of a miracle that they were both still alive, if you could call being a digital construct as living. That pack of Haitian netrunners had played V like a fiddle, and when he outlived his usefulness, tried to zero him. V had put them to the sword, quite literally, brandishing _Satori_ like some kind of Jedi. It seemed Takemura’s lessons stuck, now if only he could play _Comfortably Numb_.

There was always bound to be some kind of trouble V would find himself in, Johnny had found. People in general had a tendency to do stupid shit. The rockerboy himself was no exception, remembering all the drug and booze fueled escapades he’d get himself to, if he remembered them at all. But V seemed to double down on it, ending up in just plain weird situations. The man with the burning Mr. Stud, Prophet Gary’s conspiracy, the sentient taxis, the cyberpsycho Mox who clocked V between the legs, leaving Jackie to deal with the psycho while the kid was rolling on the floor, moaning and clutching at his crotch. The recent gig from Regina ended with a job well done, except for V getting arrested for indecent exposure. An acidic grenade forcing V to remove the melting clothes he had on, inadvertently flashing a group of badges who had a dim view at nudity, never mind the gung-ho Tygers still taking shots at him. The former media was a good sport about it, and bailed him out within the hour, bringing new clothes and trying not to laugh.

And finally, Johnny had to question V’s choice in women. On occasion, V could access Johnny’s memories, and the rockerboy found it worked vice versa. That TT corpo’s wife was what you’d expect: entitled, bossy, micromanaging, and had a tendency to throw a tantrum when things didn’t go her way. Not his cup of tea. But it was V’s evidently, and after a month of a strange pattern of flirting mixed with abuse and insults, she warmed up to him. It didn’t end well of course, with the husband walking into his office having forgotten something, only to find his trophy riding the younger man like a horse, with that pretty face already covered in his cum. It was only a waterfall’s worth of tears and barely coherent promises that kept the corpo from killing V, who had settled for kicking him out, though from six stories high and into a dumpster. It could have been worse.

You’d think V would have learned his lesson after that experience, and for a while, he did. V was easy on the eyes, if a bit on the short side. A face more pretty than handsome, long curly black hair, and a smile than won even Johnny over. There were more than a few women who caught V in their sights, foremost among them being Panam. She had a lot in common with V: the same head in the clouds mindset, the loyalty to family and friends, a fondness of engineering and drinking, so he’d thought something would have blossomed. But it seemed V’s taste in women had reared its ugly head, mainly in the form of one Meredith Stout.

Johnny hated her the moment they met. She was exactly like that trophy wife, the only difference being incredibly overbearing and significantly more bloodthirsty. Being with Militech is just slightly better than Arasaka, given that they gave him the nuke and loaned Morgan Blackhand way back when, but a corpo is still a corpo. On more than one occasion, she usually had some snide comment, but V had taken it in stride, choosing to ignore them. Just like the trophy wife. But as with her, and as the months went by, Johnny noticed a change in the way she behaved.

When she was angry or frustrated, which is to say every goddamned second, Meredith had the mouth of a sailor, Johnny thought, with her favorite go-to insult being the patented “fucking street rat.” But despite that, V was nothing but polite to her. Maybe she appreciated that. Eventually, the insults became more subdued, then went away entirely. The dynamic between the two shifting into something else, with Meredith going from rude to cautious, then relaxed. Sometimes, they’d banter, with V getting a laugh from the typically stoic corpo on occasion, even a smile. V typically had no tact and was blunt, but he could be charming when he wanted to be, Johnny admitted. It took real charisma to get a corporate drone to smile genuinely, especially one with Meredith’s demeanor.

There was also the occasional gifts. Working for a corpo is bound to bring in good eddies, but with Meredith, it seemed something else entirely. It started about two months ago. Every now and then, a crate would “accidently” wind up missing, likely from a convoy, and she’d send V the coordinates. Not to say that there aren’t other arrangements like theirs, but given the Gilchrist and Maelstrom incident, one would think Meredith wouldn’t be repeating the same mistake. It wasn't much, she supplying two mercenaries and not an entire gang, but it was still serious hardware to part with. Johnny and Jackie couldn’t believe it, but V just shrugged. If a corpo was willing to be generous, who were they to stop her?

And then there were the touches. At first, Meredith would keep her distance from V, citing the pecking order between their classes in society. But after a while, when things got more friendly between them, she’d pat V on the back. Then on the shoulder. And very occasionally the cheek. And the lingering looks, when she though he wasn’t looking. Johnny knew them all too well. It was the same look that groupies and fans would give him. It was the same look Kerry and Rogue would give him. It was the same look he’d have when Alt was around. They didn’t happen often, but Johnny would see them more after last month’s incident.


	2. The Incident

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> V and Jackie take a job from Meredith. A simple job, they all thought. But, as with everything so far, it went south real fast.

‘Twas a simple assignment, they all thought. Easy money. An Arasaka mole who infiltrated Militech had been caught, and now he was taking shelter with some Tyger Claws until the company could extract him. The job was clear: zero him before that happened. Intel from Meredith’s own plant estimated only about a dozen, but as they pulled up toward the location, V spotted a lot more than a dozen. Through V’s optics, Johnny counted twenty outside, and thirty inside. A platoon’s worth of gangoons, he though, his days in the marines creeping back up to him.

“ _Mierda,_ ” Jackie whispered, getting out of the car and already crouching. “That’s a lot more than a dozen. This woman’s trying to kill us, V!”

”Maybe she just got her intel wrong,” V suggested, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. Johnny rolled his eyes, bringing a cigarette to his lips.

“Ah well. Could use the practice anyway. Anything to make your corpo girlfriend happy, eh _mano_?”

V turned bright red. Johnny smirked at him, the younger merc unable to meet his gaze. “Not my girlfriend,” he mumbled.

Jackie grinned, patting the smaller man on the back. He never did like Meredith. Despite getting friendlier with V, she always eyed Jackie with suspicion, though never cursed at him as much as she had with V. The corpo was generous, at least, and so he tolerated her. “You’re right. She’s your _mamá de azúcar_ who gives you good money and guns.”

Johnny burst out laughing, dropping his cigarette as he did so. Sugar mama! V by now was as red as a tomato. “ _Jesús_ , Jackie. Let’s just focus. And for the record, I shared whatever she gave with you too.”

Jackie chucked, and followed V into the safehouse the mole was hiding in, yet another abandoned All Foods factory, the parking lot riddled with wrecked cars. It seems the company’s warehouses were proving to be popular gang hideouts, the trio thought, remembering Maelstrom. Getting inside was much easier, the Tygers claws having little to no surveillance aside from their guards. Finding their way into what had been the assembly line, they found their target passed out drunk on a couch. Jackie took watch as V rolled a suppressor onto his pistol, and fired. A clean kill, right between the optics. Now it a matter of getting out undetected. That’s when things started falling apart.

They had been hallway toward their getaway when a Tyger Claw spotted them. V, still carrying the suppressed pistol, got in another headshot. But it had been too late. Swarms of brightly colored gangoons burst out of the warehouse, already firing wildly at the duo. One of them had been carrying an RPG, and shot a rocket at them. The two narrowly ducked, and Jackie’s car erupted into a ball of fire and molten scrap metal. The burly merc cursed as he and V took cover behind another wreck, already dispatching the rocket-wielding Tyger.

Johnny watched as they picked them off, admiring their work. V may be a kid, but man, was he a good shot. More often than not, he’d get headshots in. Jackie wasn’t bad either, powering on through like a bulldozer. They made a good team, but as Johnny knew, sometimes that wasn’t enough.

A grenade landed between the two, going off as soon as it landed. It blew them both in opposite directions, each going halfway across the parking lot. Jackie got smacked onto a crate, dazing him for a moment. As for V, he was smacked onto another wreck, impaling him half of what had been a car door, the large metal blade sticking out from V. It was only that thick dermal armor plating that kept him from dying, shielding most of his vital organs. It’d kept V safe when Dex shot him in the head, keeping his skull and the Relic safe, knocking him out and awakening the engram within. But it couldn’t stop the bleeding. Thick red liquid began seeping out from the wound, and V lost consciousness.

Dazed, Jackie got his bearing, and turned to V. He screamed, rushing towards him, butchering Tygers who had tried to take advantage of the younger merc’s state. V was a sitting duck out here, losing too much blood and out cold. They were out of options, so Johnny reached out and tried to take control of V’s body. He was in pretty bad shape, that wound still leaked blood, his implants flickering, and most of the meat ached and felt like jelly. He could still move his head at least, and his optics still worked. And the cyberdeck. Johnny smiled with V’s own, a plan forming in his mind. Netrunning wasn’t a skill that came naturally to him, but Alt was one of the best there was, and she taught him more than a few tricks.

Five shrieking yakuza had caught on fire, their war cries cut short as they crumpled to the ground. Four had their weapons jam on them, allowing Jackie to take his shot at them. Four more bodies on the ground, a headshot each. They kept at it, the rockerboy burning or jamming their weapons, and the merc would gun them down. Eventually, the cyberdeck’s RAM went out, having overburdened itself. Johnny cursed, he’d have to rely on Jackie now, and from the looks of things, he didn’t have much fight left in him.

Now there were nine left, aiming their weapons at the two. Jackie dropped his gun to the ground, out of ammo. He tried to reach for an SMG cradled by a burnt corpse, but they aimed their weapons at V. The larger merc carried his unconscious friend onto his arms, and swung around, shielding him from the onslaught as they emptied their guns into him.

Jackie was always a boulder, strong and durable. Since the failed heist, he had even more work done. Outwardly, he’d look the same has he ever did, if a bit more scarred. But with all of Viktor’s improvements, he was more machine than man. An borg who kept a mostly ‘ganic appearance, as well as his appetite. His favorite jacket was tweaked out by V, giving him even more protection. But even with all the enhancements, there was only so much he could take.

Most of the bullets bounced off, but a sizable amount found their way past the jacket and struck the burly merc where it hurt. Johnny winced as Jackie jerked and wheezed, the burst knocking him off his feet for a bit. It all stopped for a moment, with the gangoons dropping the empty magazines and reloading. Jackie glanced sadly at V, then turned to the Tygers. He had one last trick up his sleeve, Johnny was certain. And just as he was about to unleash hell, another hell had come upon the yakuza.

An armored car flew out of nowhere, crashing into the group of Tygers. There wasn’t enough time for any of them to move fast enough, even with Kerenzikov. They crumpled into sparking mush as several tons of composite armor smashed right into them. The car stopped, and the driver’s door opened. Meredith gazed dispassionately at her handiwork, caressing a Crusher between her hands. All but one of the Tygers had been killed, with the survivor trying to reach for his gun with his one remaining arm. The corpo kicked the pistol from his reach, pinned his hand with her heel, and pressed her shotgun against his head. She didn’t flinch as blood and brain matter flew into her face.

Johnny had to admit, Meredith had a good poker face, set in that angry stare she had when she met V. But her eyes told a different story, no matter how chromed up they were. And as soon as they landed on V, Johnny was taken aback. A multitude of emotions, concern being foremost, all rolled into one gaze that fell on the wounded merc. Meredith holstered her shotgun, gesturing towards the car. She never took her eyes off V, only moving back toward the driver's seat when Jackie slammed the door shut.

The ride to Viktor’s had been hectic. Meredith drove past red lights and nearly crashed on more than one occasion, swerving left and right like a madwoman. Being a corpo, she was above suspicion from the cops. They couldn’t touch her even if they wanted too. Jackie was in the back seat, fumbling with a medkit and trying his hand at first aid. It wasn’t something he was particularly good at, despite V’s best efforts, but he kept him from dying. The ride was mostly the two trading barbs, all the while weaving traffic.

“You fucking suit!” Jackie screamed, trying to stop the bleeding. “You said there’d be a dozen, not a dojo’s worth of yakuza!”

“There wasn’t supposed to be that many!” Meredith insisted, smacking the steering wheel in frustration. “That fucker said only twelve! I’m going to have his head for this! Fuck, I can’t believe this is happening!”

“Well believe it, _coño corporativo_ , because my best friend is back here, bleeding out!”

“Then stop the fucking bleeding! He used to be with Trauma Team, I’d imagine he’d have shown you a few things! Did you listen to anything he said?!”

“Listing to you is what got us in this mess! Listening to your mole is what’s got V here nearly flatlined!”

Still driving, Meredith gazed back from the driver’s mirror. If looks could kill, she’d beat the merc to within an inch of his life. “But he’s not dead,” she said, in a deathly calm whisper. “and you’re going to keep it that way. Just keep helping him, or at least try to you gonk.”

The two glared at each other, their eyes boring holes from the mirror. Their silent stare off cut short by V coughing up blood. Jackie went back to trying to help his injured friend, wiping the blood from his mouth. The corpo turned her attention back to the road. But as she did so, Johnny saw her pained, worried expression from the windshield. Despite himself, Johnny couldn't help but be reminded of Rouge and Alt, fussing over even minor injuries.

They reached Misty’s, nearly running over some homeless people. Jackie and Meredith ignored their cries as they rushed into the emporium, V’s broken form held in Jackie’s arms. Misty nearly had a heart attack as soon as they came in. It was the junkyard all over again. She locked the store, and led them into Viktor’s clinic. The ripper didn’t waste any time, having Jackie gently setting him on the table and went to work.

As Viktor was operating on V, Jackie, Misty, and Meredith waited just at the threshold, watching him. Even as he was undergoing emergency surgery, Johnny materialized just past the three, with only Jackie, having a connection, brief as it was, with the relic being able to see him. He gave him a quick nod, then turned to the two women.

Meredith, shaking ever so slightly, was taking a deep breath from her cigarette. Johnny couldn’t smell the smoke, with V being under anesthesia, but it was likely something expensive and pretentious.

“Are you sure he knows what he’s doing?” Meredith asked, the nicotine calming her down.

“Vic’s the best,” Misty replied. She had laid down some tarot cards, likely trying to divine the future. Johnny didn’t believe in the supernatural, his own existence being proof of that, but V often visited Misty for readings. They usually came true, he had found. Unfortunately, they involved him getting thrashed up, despite Misty's efforts. “He fixed V and Jackie up the first time, and that Arasaka guy too.”

That caught her attention, a slip of the tongue on Misty’s end. “Arasaka guy?”

Jackie rubbed his hand against his neck, what flesh that remained likely aching. “No one you need to worry about. Ancient history at this point.” He winced, removing his hand from his neck. Jackie didn’t look much worse for the ware, notwithstanding taking hundreds of rounds to the back. But he likely needed attention from Vik after he was done with V. “ _Coño_ , what a fucking mess.”

Meredith took another long drag from her cigarette. She had went through ten already, nearly finishing the pack. Johnny enjoyed his Lucky Strikes as much as he did Jack Daniels, but the corpo was like a chimney, the rockerboy having seen her go through several packs at once. Then again, Meredith was a deep pocketed Militech executive. She likely had either restorative treatments to her lungs or cybernetic replacements. Likely the former. When it’d came to really delicate organs, best to stick with meat unless if it’s damaged beyond repair.

She was uncharacteristically quiet. The corpo usually had something to say, but Meredith settled for just staring at the room where Viktor was working. Her face remained unchanged, more neutral than her usual angry glare. Even her eyes showed no emotion. But Johnny couldn’t ignore that expression she had made when she saw V’s body, or after the argument with Jackie. He could only imagine what she was thinking.

It made for a strange scene. Battered cyborg mercenary in one corner, his gothic tarot card reader girlfriend in another, a chain-smoking corpo worried sick about her favorite attack dog, and a digital specter of a long dead musician terrorist in said attack dog's head, all waiting for the former boxer-turned-ripperdoc to finish. There were likely stranger bedfellows, he said to himself, but he couldn’t think of any right now.

“Well, I’ve got good news,” Viktor said, walking out from the doorway. He was wiping his hands with a bloodied rag. “V’s going to be fine. The wound itself isn’t too bad, and I've already patched it up, but a good chuck of his implants got fried in the explosion. He’ll need to recover for a while. Couple weeks at most.”

Meredith dropped her cigarette, stamping it out. Viktor stared at her, but she ignored his irritated glare. “This should cover everything,” she said, already transferring eddies to him, turning from his widening eyes. She pulled out a couple of fat stacks, handing them to Jackie. “These are for you and V.” She pulled out a notebook, scribbling something into it, then tore the page off, handing it to Jackie. “Take this too. The coordinates to another cache I’ve prepared, but wait a few days. I’ll need to get a few more things for it. Consider it a bonus.”

“ _Muy generosa_ of you,” Jackie said sarcastically.

Meredith rolled her eyes. “Just let me know when he gets better.” Without waiting for a response, Meredith pulled out yet another cigarette, and walked out of the clinic, blown smoke billowing behind her.

They watched her go. Johnny pulled out his own cigarette and lit up. It may be a digital imitation like him, but it calmed the rockerboy’s nerves. “You don’t need me to tell you what I think of that cunt,” he said, blowing out artificial smoke. “Best to keep her away from V for a while, at least until he gets his strength back. He won’t like it, the dumb kid.”

“Hmmm.” Though Misty and Viktor knew about Johnny, Jackie wasn’t entirely comfortable talking to him, not without V. And they all fell into a silence, thinking about what would happen next.


	3. The Visitors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was the junkyard all over again. With Misty, Jackie, and Viktor helping V recover. This time, a lot more people come to visit the merc.

V spent only a couple days at the clinic, with Viktor, Misty, and Jackie bringing him back to the apartment. It was the junkyard all over again, like Misty had said, only this time, there were visitors. And oh, there were plenty.

Mama Welles often came in with food, usually meaty and spicy. Johnny had always liked spicy food, his time during the Latin American wars giving him an appreciation for Hispanic cuisine. Sharing the body’s senses had its perks, at least he could shut off the connection when he needed to. She fussed over the merc, having essentially adopted him due to his age and resemblance to one of her sons. Johnny recalled a family album Jackie had shown V, the resemblance was uncanny. Padre would come, spewing some biblical nonsense that V took to heart. And so would Pepe, sneaking alcohol to share with the bedridden merc. Mama Welles would smack him with a wooden spoon when he tried, and Padre would chastise him.

Judy would come too, bringing braindances which Johnny though were strange. The people in them would just whisper or making tapping sounds, sometimes rattling or playing with objects. Whatever it was, it had a calming effect on V. It made Johnny’s own back tingle in a way he hadn’t felt before. They were enough to knock even an engram out. Johnny found the closest thing to rest he had, unwillingly losing long portions of time between those sessions.

Sometimes, Evelyn would tag along with her, still smarting from her ordeal. Having been under Judy’s care, and with the same BDs, she’d gotten through the worst of it, though there were still some lasting scars. She’d often stare into space, with Judy holding her hand and resting her head on her shoulder, trying to hold back tears. They’d gotten closer, V had said, with Evelyn now the only reason she’s still in Night City, aside from V of course.

“Don’t think you’re her type, kid,” Johnny said, rolling his eyes.

“Maybe not,” V said, lifting himself from the bed. “But just look.” He made a sad smile and large puppy dog eyes. He looked like an angel. “Jud may like women, but who’d resist this?”

If it wasn’t for V’s condition, Johnny would have smacked him. He settled for saying, “You’re right. With that look, you’d have her wrapped around your finger. Maybe have Viktor give you tits while you’re at it.”

V looked outraged, and grabbed a nearby pillow. Johnny laughed while V skulked, the pillow halfway across the room. “Go get some sleep, Samurai. Can’t burn the city down in this condition.

Evelyn would put on a brave face though, grateful for V saving her life, both from Maelstrom and her own suicide attempt. The Mox would sit by his bed, gently stroking his hair and softly sing to him. If only she’d been around when Samurai was still preforming. She’d make a great vocalist.

Speaking of vocalists, Kerry would grace V with his presence, much to Johnny’s discomfort. Having such a high profile celebrity visiting an infamous mercenary in a shithole mega-building would have given the media a field day, not that’d Kerry would have cared. Still, he would come in the most ridiculous disguises. His most favorite being a white bob wig, hipster glasses, a black turtleneck, and the tightest leather pants he’d ever seen. He looked like one of those snobby art dealers, with a ridiculous name to go along with it.

It was during his visits that V would bring up the idea of Johnny revealing himself, wanting closure between the two former bandmates. No way. At least not yet, maybe when the time was right. The merc wasn’t happy with his response. V would call Johnny a coward, and Johnny would call him a cunt. They’d go back and forth, even while V was having a conversation with his visitors, having quickly learned how to multitask between real time and the engram. They’d get nowhere with their arguments, with Kerry leaving none the wiser, and V fuming. Maybe he had a point, Johnny would wonder.

Takemura’s visits were brief, mostly relaying information to him. When he had first seen his sorry state, the samurai had an annoyed look on his face. Amateur, Johnny thought he’d say, to have let yourself be injured by lowly scum. But he said nothing on the first visit. Just pulled up a chair, and sat next to V, his face ever so softening. He’d always make sure V ate everything brought to him, even though he wouldn’t touch the stuff himself. His facade would break, actually showing some concern, and even giving a sad smile. And the texts! More often than not, there was a selfie, or a picture of a cat. Plenty of emojis too.

River, in tow with his sister and her kids, made up another group of V’s visitors. Johnny would zone out during their stays, considering them a bit more boring than the others, but still picked up snippets of their talks. Randy was doing well, his kidnapping already a distant memory. Johnny didn’t know they made braindances for kids, the usual clientele being demented perverts or hopeless incels. But Judy pulled through, eager to help the poor boy. And River’s own PI business was booming, in no small part thanks to patronage from Regina. The idea of any form of justice in Night City was ridiculous, but with those two, the idea doesn’t seem so far-fetched.

And then there were the Aldecaldos. Johnny couldn’t help but scoff. Soft hearted and familial, they were loud and overly friendly. Johnny remembered his own interactions with them, having hid among them for two years. A far too friendly for the rockerboy’s taste, even when he wasn’t as jaded and broken back then. But V loved them, and the feeling was mutual. Jackie got along with them too, guzzling their swill like a champion and singing louder than them. It was among this pack of Nomads that V found his most frequent visitor: Panam Palmer.

The first thing she did was glomp him, which Johnny, despite himself, thought was sweet. Until her hug accidently reopened V’s stitches, drenching her clothes in blood. It’s a good thing her jacket’s red, though everything else got a nice coating of the color. At least Panam was better at first aid than Jackie. Being a self-sufficient and overly educated Nomad certainly helped.

She’d fluff his pillow, feed him, and stay by his side during Viktor’s checkups. Sometimes, she’d even stay the night, making a little nest next to V’s bed. It was during these visits that V, despite all the hints that practically everyone had given him, had come to a realization, and it hurt him.

V had come to love her like a sister, like he had Judy, but it was clear Panam loved him in a way that wasn’t in the pseudo-sibling sense that the nomads were fond of. He’d try to figure out a way of letting her down gently, and spoke to Johnny about it.

“The girl likes you,” Johnny said. “Hell, I’d even say she loves you. Come on, anyone with half a brain could see it.”

“But that’s the problem there,” V said, ignoring Johnny’s jib. “I love her the way I love Jackie and Judy, but-”

“Love Jackie? And Judy? Really?”

V rolled his eyes. “He’s my _hermano_. Don’t even get me started on Jud, too. And don’t change the subject.”

Johnny held up his palms in a placating manner. “Hey, just messing with you. I get what you’re saying though. But it’d be a real dick move putting her down when she’s playing nurse with you. Give her a chance, that’s all I’m suggesting.” He sat down on the edge of the bed, lighting up another of his Lucky Strikes.

“Do those even work for you?” It was the first time he brought them up.

The rockerboy blew out smoke at the merc, the digital fumes going through him. He didn’t flinch. “Now who’s changing the subject?”

V smiled, chuckling as he shrugged. “Can’t be helped.”

Now it was Johnny turn to chuckle. “Cheeky bastard. All I’m saying is that you keep an open mind, maybe your heart too. Shit! Now you’ve got me talking like you and those nomads! I’m pretty sure she said something like that to us once.”

The merc brought his knees to his chest, hugging them closer. He looked out the window. It was night, neon lights illuminating the city into a jumble of bright colors. But if you looked closely enough, you could see the stars and the moon, shining as brightly as the tacky signs. “Even with all the shit the world throws at you, you gotta keep hoping there’s some good in the world. You have to keep your mind and your heart open to the goodness in people.”

“Are you sure you’re a streetkid and not a nomad? You’ve been saying stuff like that since I’ve met you.”

V turned back to Johnny, that bright light gleaming in his eyes, and it wasn’t the signs outside. “What do I say, Johnny? What _can_ I say? She’s been nothing but good to me. She’s been there for me, like Jackie and everyone else, but I just don’t feel the same way. How do I keep our friendship without breaking her heart?”

The rockerboy looked V in the eyes. Johnny had been told that V’s optics were as close to his original eyes as Viktor could make them, the Kiroshi logo and the tiny holographic interfaces being the only signs of cybernetics. As troubled as he looked, Johnny doubted those optics carried as much emotion as the genuine article. “There isn’t an easy answer to that. Maybe it’ll come on its own. Or maybe there isn’t one.”

V leaned back, humming to himself. Out of all the people who had come to see him, only one hadn’t shown her face, and her absence was louder than the Aldecaldos. Meredith Stout hadn’t called or texted for two weeks. V could have called her himself, but he felt guilty about nearly screwing up the job, despite Johnny insisting it wasn’t his fault. The only time he did was after receiving the info from Dex the first time, all those months ago. Everything after that was instigated on her end.

Johnny glanced at the clock. 1:50 a.m. It wasn’t like V had anything to do, but it was best to get some sleep soon.

“Get some rest,” Johnny said at last. “Let everything else wait.”

And so it did. V curling himself into the bed, and Johnny standing over him. As he slept, Johnny couldn’t help but go back to that night. It was easy to dismiss Meredith as just another corporate cog, willing to use and abuse V. And while that was true to an extent, he remembered those gazes, brief as they had been. The pain, the worry, the rage, and even grief of seeing V in that sorry state. They made him ache in a way he hadn’t felt in a long time. He found himself wondering if he’d see them again. And as he shut himself off, Johnny would find his answer in the next morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, ever since I saw an email concerning a certain golden god, and after binge watching a certain show involving said golden god, I've decided to leave little references in each chapter after this one. Let me know if you spot the first one here. Feel free to give suggestions. Thank you so much!


	4. The Early Riser

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> V wakes up to find Johnny watching TV, makes himself a nice breakfast, and has a talk with the engram about Meredith.

V woke up to find Johnny on the sofa, scrolling through channels. The remote lay on the coffee table, surrounded by magazines, grenades, and boosters. The benefits of being a digital ghost, he supposed. The merc propped himself up and stared at him. Johnny didn’t bother to turn, having shared a body with him, he would know if and when the host mind woke up.

“Already up, huh?” V asked.

Johnny, cigarette already between his lips, nodded. “They’ve got a channel running some old shows, nothing like the crap they’re making these days. They’ve got a marathon of my favorite too. Now if I can just find it…”

V rolled his eyes. Of course he’d wake to do find Johnny doing something ridiculous. He debated on whether or not to continue sleeping, and unable to find rest, settled on making himself breakfast. He walked to the kitchen, yawning and rubbing his eyes awake. As the merc opened the fridge, V considered his options. With his recent influx of visitors, he’d found himself laden with an abundance of get-well dishes. He glanced at the Miso soup, rice, and green tea Takemura had brought him. It seemed the samurai had come through on finding edible Japanese cuisine, deigning it to share with V. He thought that was sweet of him.

Then he turned to the odd cakes Viktor had made for him. It was a testament to the ripperdoc’s cooking ability that he was able to make something healthy and delicious from the most unappetizing of ingredients. Algae ale, some kind of sour berry, grounded roasted locusts, a medley of mushrooms, and the grain used to make CHOOH2. Maybe that last ingredient was what made it tasty, being not so unappetizing.

V set his eyes on Mama Welles’ dish. Chorizo with eggs, jalapeno peppers, and onions. Real meat was scarce, being prohibitively expensive for the common folk of Night City. How Jackie’s mother was able to get it was a mystery no one had been able to find out, the bar owner refusing to divulge her source. But she was generous with it, so it balanced itself out.

V settled on the chorizo, remembering all the times she would make it for him and Jackie. It brought a smile to his face. With coffee brewing and the dish heating in the oven, V joined Johnny on the couch, pulling out the recliner from his seat as he waited for his food.

“Still can’t find it?” the merc asked.

“Nope,” Johnny answered, still flipping through channels. “How many goddamned stations are there?”

“A lot more than in your time I bet.”

The rockerboy rolled his eyes, glaring. “Smartass.”

“What’s this show you’re trying to find about anyway?”

“Well it’s about a bunch of people in Philly who...”

As Johnny continued speaking, V watched a segment about Militech. Something about the company handing exoskeleton suits to the police force. Already bored with it, Johnny was about to flip yet another channel until V heard a familiar name. V was about to say something only for the rockerboy turn to yet another channel, finally finding the one he was looking for.

“Yes!” Johnny exclaimed, rising to his feet and pumping his fists to the air. “Victory for Johnny!”

“Johnny, go back!” V cried.

He turned to the merc, incredulity in his face. “Goddamn it, V! I spent an hour looking for this! This is the part when he’s gonna come out of the couch!”

“Dude, come on! Just two minutes tops!”

“V…” The younger man made his sad pout, those big puppy eyes making him groan. “Ugh, there’s no arguing with you!”

Satisfied, V settled back into his chair. Meredith was on the screen, in front of a podium at Militech HQ. It seems the work he and Jackie had done worked out for the corpo, going from Senior Operations Manager to Government Relations Executive. He listened intently, completely focused on her speaking.

“Officers in the NCPD put their lives on the line for us every day,” she spoke. Her demeanor all stoic and professional, a true corporate cog in the machine. Not the rabid egomaniac V met all those months ago, or the shotgun wielding mad driver who definitely didn’t show concern over the merc. “They defend all of Night City’s citizens against gang violence, Nomad outlaws, and cyberpsycho attacks. Thanks to Militech’s Centaur class exosuits, they can keep themselves safe, and all the rest of us even safer.”

Johnny shut the TV off, taking a drag of his cigarette as he did so. V didn’t say a word, staring at the blank screen. The silence went on for what seemed like an eternity, the merc processing what he had seen, and Johnny thoughtfully smoking his cigarette.

“Alright, say it,” V finally said.

“Say what?”

“I told you so.”

“I told you so.”

“You’re a trusting, naive kid who got nearly himself killed on more than one occasion, and didn’t learn anything from it. Got too friendly with a corpo, only to get ghosted after she got what she wanted.”

Johnny leaned back, taking another deep breath of his Lucky Strikes. Forget whatever Meredith’s brand was, this is where it’s at. Simple, cheap, and gets the job done. “I’d say that’s true too, but I’d be lying. Except for the last part. And maybe the getting nearly killed part too.”

V looked surprised, though a bit annoyed from Johnny’s last remarks. “What?”

He flicked away the cigarette and turned to V. “Think. What exactly did Jackie and Vik tell you about that night?”

“That a grenade nearly did me in, I got impaled, and my implants got fried?”

“Uh-huh. And what else?”

“That Meredith drove me and Jackie back to Misty’s.”

“And what did Jackie say about our corpo friend?”

“Nothing much, only that we got some sweet gear as a bonus.” V rubbed his right arm, being completely mechanical. It was Meredith’s latest gift, and replaced the original gen one prosthetic he wore beforehand. When Johnny asked why V still use such an inferior model, especially compared to his own silverhand and the money he brought in, the merc shrugged.

“It’s kept me alive so far,” he had answered.

“Yeah, if you say so,” Johnny replied. It took quite a beating, he admitted, amazed that it had lasted so long. The incident with the Tyger Claws finally damaging it beyond even Viktor’s expertise. It was time to switch out, and the corpo’s latest cache giving him a much needed upgrade.

It was a far cry from what V had used. A quality gorilla arm with a custom miniaturized tech railgun, mounted underneath a collapsible plate at the forearm. Retractable rippers, as sharp and hard as diamonds, hid behind V’s false fingertips. The rippers and rest of the hand were connected to a rechargeable taser just above the wrist. The whole gig covered in high quality RealSkin, not cold metal like V’s previous arm, with sensory settings to boot. A real piece of cyberware, quite a gift to give to a streetkid who’s only working part-time for a corpo.

He stared at it, and shook his head. Why had Meredith left this for him, and gave him and Jackie other high end stuff for months, only to ghost him later on? It had been two weeks since he heard from her, and only just now did he hear about her promotion.

Johnny felt his confusion and dismay. He was about to speak when there was a knock at the door. 5:59. Usually, V’s guests would come at a more reasonable time, with the notable exception of Takemura. Intending to give the samurai a piece of his mind without revealing himself, the rockerboy reached out to the hidden cameras Judy installed outside some time ago. What he saw shocked him.

It was Meredith, holding a bouquet of flowers, with a little card in between some roses. Like the arm and practically everything else, those flowers must have costed a pretty eddie. Especially given the distinct lack of any form of flora in Night City, save for the cloned pines in the park, the hydroponic greenhouses supplying food to the rich and powerful, and the private gardens of the corpos. Johnny wondered what kind of set up Arasaka had. Likely something with engineered cherry blossoms that bloomed year round, a nice place to meditate and do yoga while destroying the world. But back to the matter at hand.

She look hesitant, nervous even. Now this was something. Quite a change from the woman who had made that little speech just some time ago. What was with this lady, who put on a front as a coldhearted overbearing bitch and seemingly took glee from it, but showed moments of tenderness towards V? Only one way to find out.

He turned to V, who had finished plating up his breakfast. A massive amount for just one person. A plan began forming in his mind. “We’ve got company.”

“I can see that,” V replied, pouring coffee into a mug. Johnny glanced at it. Militech, displayed in big bold letters. At least it wasn’t Arasaka. “The knock did kinda tip me off. Who is it today?”

“Just guess.” When V fixed him with a look, Johnny just sighed. “Fine. It’s your favorite Militech corpo.”

V tried so hard to look nonchalant, but his voice couldn’t hide how excited he was. “Really? What’s she doing here this early?”

“Well, she’s got a bunch of flowers and a little get well card from what I can see.”

V nearly dropped his coffee, eyes wide awake now. “What?!”

Johnny patted him on the back, leading him toward the door. “Best not to keep her waiting.”

“Shit, I just came out of bed! How do I look? Should I change into something? How’s my breath?”

Johnny took in V’s appearance. Still looked tired, but a sight for sore eyes. Tank top, boxer shorts, fluffy slippers, all clean. Messy out-of-bed hair that gave V a look not dissimilar to his own. And the merc brushed more than the usual edgerunner, being former Trauma Team, so his breath is probably not too bad. All in all, a hot mess. “You look fine.”

“You sure?” V was panicking now. “It’s still early, maybe I could get in a quick shower and-”

Johnny had enough. He grabbed V by the shoulders, shaking him. “Get a hold of yourself, man!” He slapped him, causing the younger man to go quiet.

“Thank you, I needed that,” V said flatly.

Johnny smirked. “Anytime.” He set V in front of the door, still rubbing his cheek. “Now go get em’, tiger.”

With that, the engram opened the door, dissipating as he did so. Meredith stood in the threshold, holding a wreath of flowers, with a little note on top. Just as Johnny said. V felt his heart stop, his tongue dried. Meredith likely felt the same, visibly nervous and sweating. And so they stood, neither able to speak.


	5. The Bouquet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In where Meredith buys a nice gift for V, thinks about him and her past.

It was early, she thought. He’s probably be still asleep. But Meredith had been in the area, supervising a black op. They could be so messy sometimes. The life of a corporate was prestige balanced with responsibility. She had access to good food, healthcare, 24/7 protection, and was surrounded by all the finery the world could offer. Conversely, she worked long hours and watched her back against those who would kill for her position, sometimes vice versa. And as the newly promoted Government Relations Executive, Meredith found everything had increased tenfold. She had more power, a substantial increase in her salary, and a nice corner office with a gorgeous view of the city. But she found herself in situations that would have broken most people into gibbering wrecks, but Meredith refused to let that happen to her. She was not so weak, not unaccustomed to get her hands dirty. Corporate business could be soul crushing, but the perks were considerable. But she wasn’t here on corporate business. This was personal.

It had been two weeks, and still no answer from either Jackie or V. She knew the ex-Valentino didn’t particularly care for her, so it was unlikely he’d contract her, but what about V? The boy had put up with her attitude during their time together. It was sweet and sad at the same time. He had a good disposition, and completed every assignment with flying colors, so she loosened up a little. A pat on the back, a few encouraging words, sometimes even a smile. He looked so content at these little gestures. That’s when things started to become more complicated.

At first, it was noting how nice he was. V always had a smile, especially with Jackie around. And so polite, even when she was cursing at him. It made her wince. She had built up a shell, not intending to let anyone break in. But looking at those eyes, chromed up as they may have been, began to make her reconsider.

Then, came the conversations. Meredith would make a comment about something, and V would answer back. They’d find themselves talking for well over an hour, usually about the smallest things like her vest. Meredith would accidently divulge personal things about herself, like her life coach. Most would have taken it as a sign of weakness on her part. But V thought it made sense, commenting how corporate life could be stressful.

Then she would find herself just staring at him. Then way he flipped his hair, his wide cheeky smile, the way he moved with that katana he occasionally carried, just everything about him. Meredith kept herself vigilant, making sure he didn’t catch her staring at him. But V wasn’t as discreet, having caught him once or twice. She didn’t say anything about it, deciding to let him keep a bit of dignity.

This was ridiculous. Meredith was tired, all she wanted to do was go home, get something in her stomach, and get at least a few hours of rest. But she was already nearby, and instead of driving back to the central district like most people would have, she found herself parking at the megabuilding. Meredith didn’t bother bringing any guards, the gutter rats giving her a wide berth. The police eyed her warily, assuming she was going to have them do her dirty work or some nonsense.

“Not today at least,” She thought to herself, stalking past a pair of cops who looked up from their meals. Bowls of noodles surrounded by unidentifiable moisty SCOOP wedges, all in a pool of greenish-brown sludge. How anyone could stomach that garbage was beyond her.

As she made her way to V’s floor, Meredith debated on what she could say to him. While it’s true she had been busy, there wasn’t any real reason not to at least call or give a text. Meredith couldn’t help but feel the slightest bit of shame at the last assignment, having put V in that situation. She shook her head. V was a merc, and a good one at that, he knew the risks that came with his line of work. But seeing him like that, unconscious in Jackie’s arms, battered and bleeding from an ugly hole in his chest…Meredith caught herself balling her fists white. Keep it together.

Just reaching the stairwell to V’s level, Meredith took a glance at her surroundings. There were a number of carts, with hawkers already trying to get attention from vagrants. Most were selling cheap food, another was offering beer and RealWater, and one was selling...toe knives? She shuddered, wondering who would actually buy such a thing.

One cart in particular stood out to her. An old woman was selling flowers, almost certainly stolen them from some corporate garden. Likely an Arasaka compound. She couldn’t count the amount of times people had stolen from Militech’s downtown HQ. Ha! People getting themselves arrested and beaten bloody just to pick daisies.

The woman didn’t bat an eye when Meredith approached, as if it was normal for a corpo to buy flowers early in the morning from a dirty slum. She smiled warmly. It was the kind of smile V would have plastered on his face. Fuck, why did that make her chest ache just now?

“And what can I do for you today, ma’am?” she asked.

Meredith perused over the options. Tulips, Roses, and Liliacs. There were also some lotus flowers, cherry blossoms, and morning glories. Definitely Arasaka. “How much for a bouquet?”

“And what would you like in it, dearie?”

Meredith resisted the urge to roll her eyes. “Just one of everything please.”

“25 eurodollars please.”

“Here you are.” As Meredith transferred the money, the corporate noted how cheap they were. The Japanese flowers alone costed a small fortune to import, the species nonexistent in the NUSA and all else nearly extinct, mainly grown in labs. Maybe she was generous? She seemed friendly enough. If so, she’s part of a nearly extinct breed too.

As the woman gathered the flowers, she asked, “So is this for anyone in particular?”

The corpo thought for a moment. She’d normally tell her to mind her own business, but then, she’d normally wouldn’t be getting flowers for an injured mercenary. So she replied, “A friend.”

“It must be a very good friend to be getting such a lovely gift.” She looked up, a knowing look forming on her wrinkled features. “Or are is it more than a friend, my dear?”

She paused for a moment, unsure how to answer. What exactly was V to her? Somewhere down the line, after the Arasaka mole, and maybe even before that, Meredith had caught feelings for V, something she hadn’t felt since…she shook the thought away. Composing herself, she answered, “I’m not sure. I just know I care about him very much.” And it was the truth. She cursed herself, showing weakness in front of an old woman she didn’t know, and during the ride back to the ripperdoc. Jackie hadn’t said a word, preoccupied with keeping V from bleeding out, but Meredith was sure he saw her expression.

The woman finished packing the bouquet. True to her word, it had one of every flower she had. It was beautiful. A jumble of bright vibrant colors, with a sweet earthy smell that would make anyone feel at peace. Meredith was about to reach for it when the woman stopped her. She placed a small card in the bundle of flowers. It had a little heart on it.

“A little get well wish,” she said, smiling. She handed it to Meredith. “For your friend.”

Meredith couldn’t help but smile back, and transferred 50 more eddies to the woman. “Thank you.” And she meant it. With that done, Meredith made her way up the stairs, bouquet in hand.

She felt warm, sweat beginning to form on her forehead, her heart was beating in her ears, and her legs were shaking. Just a little longer. It’s just like that half hour with the wounded vets. All smiles and good will for the camera, giving them nice prosthetics and health care plans, taking them away when the media left. Only there weren’t any cameras this time. And you’re actually wishing someone good will. It was just Meredith and V. She reached the door. 5A, the right place.

Meredith felt her hand tremor, and her head throbbing. Bile seeped into her throat, threatening to spill out. Still holding the flowers, she reached into her pocket, and pulled out the sedative booster. The drugs kicked in almost immediately. She leaned against a railing as they calmed her nerves, breathing heavily. Her life coach, Oliver, never cared for them or her smoking, being a proponent of more natural methods of destressing.

“You shouldn’t rely too much on such crude things, my dear,” he had said, that smooth London accent making everything that came from his mouth seem refined. “There are much healthier ways of calming oneself: spending time with friends and family, or having a pint or two at the pub, or perhaps aerobic exercises and meditation. Though they may not harm your body as much, the advent of cyberware and biological enhancements offering resilience to such things, it is my belief that medicating yourself heavily can do considerable damage to your mental state and to your soul.”

Meredith struggled not to roll her eyes, or to offer a sarcastic remark, settling for just nodding her head. She didn’t have friends, and don’t even get her started on her family. She wasn’t one to get caught dead in a bar. She jogged every now and then, mostly to keep in Militech’s regulations regarding physical fitness. He took a sip of his tea. Earl Grey with a hint of lemon. How quintessentially English of him. Meredith nursed her own cup, the hot liquid soothing her throat. It was good. She would have to remember to buy some afterwards.

Oliver set the cup back on its plate. “Miss Stout, at the risk of offending you…” He trailed off, not knowing how to continue.

She shrugged. “It’s why I’m here, Oliver. If I didn’t want to be offended, I’d have gone to work today instead of having this appointment with you.”

He gave a polite smile. “My dear, while it’s perfectly healthy and normal to be engaging in physical relations, I must confess my disquiet at your choice in partners. Prostitutes and corporate novices are _not_ optimal choices for such encounters, much less a relationship.”

“I’m not looking for a relationship. I’m just enjoying myself.”

“And there is nothing wrong with that. I am merely suggesting that it may be a rewarding and ultimately more satisfying experience. I fear these people are adding to your stress, not relieving it.” He reached out and placed his hand over Meredith’s. His grip was firm, but gentle. Oliver looked at her with sad eyes. “I know your time with Edward has left its mark on you, even after all these years.”

Edward. Her ex-husband. They had met when she herself was just starting out. She was an intern, and he was a full fledge corporate raider. Meredith fell for him hard, swept off her feet by his magnetic personality. They had married less than a month later. But it had been a mistake.

As soon as they had tied the knot, Edward had become a different man. Gone was the charismatic, charming gentleman she had fallen in love with, replaced by a violent, foul mouthed drunkard. He would often beat her, chaining Meredith while violating her. Sometimes, he’d either whip her, or use a stun rod. He would bring his friends over, letting them take turns with her while he giggled, whiskey spilling from his mouth as she screamed. Meredith never cried so hard in her life.

It all came to a head six years afterwards. Edward had bungled up an assignment. He was supervising a shipment when Arasaka had raided it, killing everyone and making off with the goods. Edward was in the clear though, having pinned the blame on an underling. It was the first time she had seen someone tortured like that, nearly deaf from the innocent man’s wails, all the while her husband looked on, smiling. Meredith swore one day she would see Edward in that chair. It would come soon enough.

One day, while she was nursing a broken cheekbone, Meredith noticed Edward had left his computer unlocked. She glanced over to him. Passed out drunk, saliva seeping into the expensive sheets. What she would have done to him then and there. But she had something else in mind. Whatever he had in his files maybe, some dirty little secret she could use. And oh, did she find something.

It seems he was having a little black market relationship with an Arasaka administrator, having leaked details for the shipment to his Japanese counterpart, getting a good cut from the windfall. Smirking, she screenshotted the emails, and sent them to their bosses. It didn’t take long for a squad of corporate solos to arrive, with Meredith leading them to her soon to be dead spouse.

She never forgot the sight that was before her that day. Edward, bloodied and bruised, strapped to the same chair his underling was, beneath a single light in some shitty safehouse Militech operated. The interrogators having already gotten what they wanted from the disgraced investor, leaving what was left to his future widow.

He was in tears, screaming and professing his love, saying his drinking is the reason why he had done what he did to her. Meredith took her time with him, savoring his screams as she pulled off fingernails, peeled his skin, cut off his eyelids and lips, and removed his genitals. But she didn’t let him die. Every time when he would pass out, she’d stick him with a booster, keeping him going and awake. Eventually, he reached his limit, dying after Meredith ripped out his heart. She was free of him.

All of his assets were transferred to her, and since then, she built her career off of Edward’s death, having also dispatched his Arasaka contact shortly afterwards. When she was secure enough in the company, Meredith went after everyone even remotely associated with Edward, giving them the same tender treatment they had given her, making their deaths look like the work of some rival corp. Since then, she had never let anyone get close to her again. She built a reputation on force and fear, with fellow executives treating her with cautious respect, and subordinates brownnosing her just to keep on her good side. Everyone except Gilchrist that is. But she dealt with him the same way she dealt with dear Edward, as with everyone who had crossed her.

That had been twenty years ago. Meredith sighed. She passed her hand over her neck, touching the tattoo she had gotten so long ago. _Never again_. She never let anyone get close to her after Edward. Not that many have tried. Not until V. And now here she was, after all that pain and torment, bringing flowers to a younger man who nearly got killed because of her.

Taking a deep breath, Meredith knocked on the steel door. A minute passed. It was rather early. She pulled up her HUD and glanced at the clock. 5:59 a.m. He was likely still asleep, probably on some kind of medication to help him heal. She was about to walk away when the door slid open, revealing a face she hadn’t seen for some time.

V looked like he’d just gotten out of bed. He had faint dark circles under his bright brown eyes. His hair was a mess, dark curls draped over his shoulders. A tank top and boxers, ever so slightly big on him, kept his modesty. She could see the taut muscle rippling underneath, with bits of cyberware here and there. He wore the new arm she had left in the cache after the previous mission. Good. It was time to replace that outdated garbage he insisted on using.

All in all, with his disheveled out-of-bed appearance, a glimpse of his physique, and generally tired but lovely features, V was nothing short of breathtaking. Meredith felt an ache, longing in a way she hadn’t since she met Edward.

Meredith couldn’t help but notice a rising bulge in those Samurai shorts. It was strangely flattering, her only bedmates being disinterested joytoys and interns wanting to climb the totem pole. It was nice to have someone attracted to you. Meredith sweated, her heart beating hard again. She felt her throat constrict, nothing able to escape from it. Neither spoke, waiting for the other to make a move.


	6. The Breakfast

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> V and Meredith discuss his friends, a new gig over some breakfast, and just as the corpo was about to let out her feelings, a new visitor arrives. And she isn't happy to meet Meredith.

V blinked his eyes and couldn’t believe what he saw. Meredith, the no-nonsense Militech corporate agent, notwithstanding her increasingly relaxed attitude with V, was at his front door, with a bouquet of flowers no less. So far, neither said a word. It must have been a shock to see one another, V feeling lightheaded and Meredith visibly sweating. It lasted for a minute until V heard the engram speak.

“You going to say something?” Johnny asked. V looked from the corner of his eye. He leaned against the doorway, a lit cigarette between his lips. “Or are you just going to stare at her with them big pretty Kiroshi optics of yours?”

“What can I say?” V replied.

“Just say whatever comes to mind.”

“Like what?”

The rockerboy shrugged. “I don’t know? Anything! Don’t just stand there looking like an idiot!”

Composing himself, V took Johnny’s advice and said, “Hey there, Meredith.” Inwardly, he winced. He saw Johnny face palm himself.

“Smooth.”

“Hey, you said whatever came to mind!”

“Could have thought of something better instead of ‘Hey there, Meredith.’ Jesus, you embarrass me.”

If it bothered the corpo, she didn’t show it. Seemingly finding own her voice as well, Meredith said, “Good morning, V. I hope I didn’t wake you.”

V rubbed the back of his head, curls waving. “No, been up for a while actually.”

Meredith raised an eyebrow. “At 5 in the morning?”

“It’s 6 actually.” Another misstep on his part. Johnny groaned, resisting the urge to smack the merc.

“Still pretty early. I thought you’d be resting. Are you feeling better?”

“I am, thanks. Vik said I’m pretty much all good now. Just needs to give me one last check up and I’m all clear.”

“So I see.” She hesitated before offering the bouquet, “I, uh, brought you this. As a get well gift.”

V beamed, grabbing the offered flowers. “Why thank you! That’s nice of you.”

Meredith rubbed the back of her head, still nervous. “I didn’t know what to get you. I imagine you’ve had more than enough guns. But there’s this little cart I saw just down below, selling flowers. So I settled on this little thing.”

“You mean Mrs. Fiala?”

She shrugged. “I guess. Bit strange to be selling nearly extinct flowers for so little money.”

“She gets them from people who fleece Arasaka’s gardens over at their HQ.” Another mindless blurt. He could feel Johnny’s increasing annoyance.

That confirmer her suspicions. At least it wasn’t Militech. “May I come in?”

V stepped aside. “Ladies first." He ignored the smack Johnny had given him, the throbbing at the back of his head already dissipating. Those new pain editors Vik had installed really came in handy. He gave the engram a smug grin as Meredith entered.

Meredith took in her surroundings. A brightly lit studio, despite the poor state of the mega-building it was in, V’s apartment was relatively nice. A central living space, a braindance station in a corner, a bed in another, a small kitchen area, and a bathroom in what may have been a closet space. There was another door to her left. She presumed it was his armory, where V kept all of his weapons, and likely Meredith’s gifts.

“I know, I know,” V said, as if he read the corpo’s thoughts. He set the flowers down on a cup he pulled out, filling it with RealWater. “Megabuilding’s pretty much a shithole, except for the penthouses at the top. But I try to keep it clean here, and I can sleep without getting stabbed, so it’s home.”

“It’s cozy enough,” she replied, looking over a cluttered bookshelf built into the wall. There were a lot of books, but most of the other contents were of a decidedly nonliterary nature. Shards were set in their own shelf, propped up and ready for use. Holoframes were also a common feature, displaying V and different people. “It seems you’ve made a lot of friends.”

V chuckled. It made Meredith stop for a moment, the sound seeming so sweet in her ears. “Yeah, I seem to make some everywhere I go.”

“So I see.” She took a look over the images. She recognized Jackie, Misty, and Viktor. An older Hispanic woman, hugging both V and Jackie. A priestly looking man she recognized as the fixer Padre. A Valentino with a woman and a child who looked like nothing like the woman. A bald woman in a netrunner suit, smiling and flashing the bird.

There were also some surprising faces featured. She recognized the BD editor Judy Alvarez and Mox Evelyn Parker, both getting a little too handsy with one another. She saw former detective River Ward, with his sister and her children. There was even a picture of Kerry Eurodyne posing with the Us Cracks, with V in between Blue Moon and Eurodyne. Another had a woman with a high bun, her arm wrapped around V’s shoulder and planting a kiss on his cheek, V shocked and blushing.

Meredith felt her eye twitch. V never mentioned he was seeing anyone, but what did she really know aside from what he said to her? It wasn’t like she was keeping tabs on him, not that she hadn’t considered it. Mostly she heard his doings from what everyone else was talking about. Street talk was no different than gossip between corporate drones, just something to pass the time. Every now and then, there was an interesting glint of information. Which brought her to a frame whose subject shocked her.

It was Goro Takemura, former bodyguard to Saburo Arasaka, hovering over a bowl of what looked like radioactive ramen. He didn’t look very pleased with his dish, pushing it away and glaring at the camera. Now that was interesting.

“Someone doesn’t look very pleased here,” she quipped. She held the frame, getting a closer look. He did not look happy, but had the slightest hint of amusement in those eyes of his. A quick glance showed V looking ever so slightly nervous. “I know I wouldn’t be if I was eating that crap.” As she made that statement, her stomach gave a small rumble. She had to wrap this up fast. She really needed to eat.

“Who, Hideshi?” V asked. His resemblance to the failed comedian was uncanny, so it made for a good alias. Though on more than one occasion earned him a smack from the unamused samurai. “Nah, he’s a nice guy once you get to know him, and a real joker too. And let’s just say he’s got pretty high standards when it comes to his food.”

Meredith rolled her eyes. It was sad that V was using such an obvious ploy, though she did admit he looked like Hideshi. “I imagine being Saburo’s former bodyguard must have come with some nice perks.” Meredith watched as V froze. “I thought you’d have realized by now. We’re a corp backed by the NUS, we’ve got resources. What happened to the Emperor isn’t going to be a NN54 headline, with the Japanese keeping a tight lid on things despite their family feud, but it’s something of an open secret. As for ‘Hideshi’ here, we know he was part of Saburo’s escort here in Night City. Which brings me to my next question.” She set the frame down and looked V in the eye. “Exactly what were you doing in Konpeki?”

V broke into a cold sweat. “W-what do you mean?”

“They found the bot.”

Shit. He’d completely forgotten about the Flathead. After everything that’s happened, from Johnny’s awakening to saving Evelyn, the bot had slipped his mind. He had been more focused on getting the hell out of there with Jackie than back getting the Flathead.

Meredith came closer, resting her hand on his shoulder. Despite the tense situation, she didn’t look at all angry or upset. She looked concerned. “V, I need to know what you and Jackie were doing there.” She didn’t raise her voice, not like she used to. Meredith spoke softly, almost in a whisper. “Don’t try to deny it. Like I said. We’ve got resources, and right now, they’re telling us Arasaka’s threatening another war over it, thinking that whoever killed the old bastard used Militech gear to do the deed. So I need you to tell me if you killed Saburo. Please, V.”

V sighed. His heart was pounding, he wanted to stop talking and tell her to leave, but having Meredith looking at him like a worried hen broke down any barriers he had. He hesitated before saying, “We didn’t kill him. We were there to steal something from his son. A chip.”

Meredith raised an eyebrow. “A chip?”

Johnny appeared on the couch nearby. He gave the merc a look that screamed silence. “Don’t say anything more.”

“At least the minimum detes,” V replied.

“How about none at all? Last thing I need is you accidently tell this corpo about your ‘roommate.’ You already told her about the flower lady.”

“But she might already know. About the chip I mean.”

“If that’s the case, then why’s she asking you? Just stop talking. Keep your damn mouth shut. Tell her to get out.”

“Just let me think.” V pondered for a moment before saying, “It’s some kind of biochip. Dex DeShawn hired me and Jackie to steal it. All I know is that Yorinobu had it, which is why we needed the Flathead in the first place. Then the emperor came in and…” He never forgot when the enraged heir strangled his father to death. T-Bug’s screams as Arasaka netrunners flatlined her. The rapid escape from the hotel, with Adam Smasher nearly catching up to them. And Jackie bleeding out in the back seat of the cab, the life fading from his eyes, with V stitching him back together long enough to send him to Vik. He closed his eyes, the memories overwhelming him.

Meredith decided not to press him further, noticing the smell that came from a dish nearby. A plate of eggs, some kind of sausage, and other vegetables sat on the small table, as if presenting itself to whomever was in the room. Meredith felt her stomach rumble. She rarely ate, mostly living off of stim pills and water. Her promotion gave her a bit more personal time, but she didn’t spend it eating. Even the crap she’d seen the cops eat at the lower levels seemed more appealing than the pills, and Meredith was often a picky eater.

Johnny noticed her looking at the plate. He nudged V on the elbow, gesturing to the plate. “Are you really gonna eat all that?”

“That was the plan,’ V replied.

“Ok, two things. One, you and Jackie are gluttons. Two, why not give some to the suit here? You want her so badly, why not feed the corpo, soften her a little more you know? Best way into a woman’s heart and pussy is through her stomach.”

V took on color. “Johnny, I-”

“Man, Mama Welles uses real meat, and she’s a good cook. I should know, you’re my surrogate for bodily senses. For god’s sake, I could hear her stomach rumbling!” Johnny got up to V’s face. “Feed. The. Corpo.”

“Fine, fine.” The rockerboy disappeared as V turned back to Meredith. She was still staring at the plate. V winced, remembering her mentioning that she rarely ate, nearly living off of pills. Johnny was right. She needed some real food. “Hey, uh, would you like some breakfast?” She didn’t respond. V cleared his throat. “Meredith?”

The corpo looked up from the plate, seemingly dazed. “What? Sorry, I was just…”

“Just looking at that nice plate of food I’ve got there?”

Meredith gave a sheepish smile. She really was warming up to V to give such an expression. “When you put it like that…”

“It’s not synthetic, if that’s what you’re wondering. Take a seat, I’ll get you another plate and some coffee.”

Meredith was tempted to say no, not wanting to take advantage of V’s hospitality, and wanting to go back home, but the merc was already at the kitchen. She sighed, and sat down. The smell was even stronger. It wafted into her nostrils, making her stomach grumble even louder. She was practically salivating as V came back, coffee and another plate in hand.

“So, I probably should have asked,” V began. “I didn’t know how you liked your coffee, so I just added a couple packs of sugar and cream.”

“That’s fine, thank you.” V set it front of her, and began plating her dish. Meredith took a sip from the mug. As he said, a bit of cream and sugar. The caffeinated drink already alleviating her hunger, sharpening her senses. And now for the main course.

V slid the plate over to her, and already dug in to his own. She grabbed a fork, and stabbed a cluster of eggs and sausage onto it. Meredith raised it close, inspecting it. It smelled of meat and spices and onions, more like the actual food she ate when she had the chance, and not at all like the synthetic crap available to the lower classes. Hesitantly, she brought it to her mouth, and once the taste set in she was lost. She took another bite, then another and another. Before long, her dish was cleaned. And so was V’s.

“I could honestly say I haven’t eaten that well in a long time,” Meredith said, wiping her lips with a napkin. “Thank you. Did you make this?”

“No,” V replied, draining the last of his coffee. “Jackie’s mom did. She’s a great cook, always spoiling us with food.”

“It’s always whatever someone’s mother makes. Mine never cooked though, we had a chef for that.” She smiled as she remembered him, doting on her while her parents were busy working, not having time or the inclination to raise her. Yet another job left to the servants.

V was humming to himself, tapping his fingers on the table. Never Fade Away. A Samurai classic. “Mine didn’t either, but we didn’t have a chef. Mostly I just ate out and grabbed whatever crap the vending machines were churning out.”

Meredith turned to V, smiling. “Then it’s a good thing you’ve got a second mother to feed us.” They both laughed. She was tired of putting on a front, of being the stereotypical corporate. It felt so good to be free, laughing like this with someone she...cared for. She was certain she did, bringing flowers when he was hurt and sharing a breakfast with him.

The laughter died down. V pushed his plate and mug away, wiping away the bits of tears that formed. “Congratulations on your promotion by the way,” he said.

“Thank you. You and your friend were quite a big help. I couldn’t have done it without either of you, especially you, V.”

He beamed, making Meredith’s heart ache. “Why thank you! Glad I could be of service to corporate security.”

She rolled her eyes. “Maybe there’s more you could do to help with corporate security.”

V raised an eyebrow. “Such as?”

“Since you’ve heard about my promotion, you must have also heard about the exosuits we’re giving to the police. Truth is, we won’t be handing them anytime soon. We’re actually putting the finishing touches on them from an outpost just outside the city. It’ll be a week before we can actually deliver to the precinct.”

“And I’m guessing you want a solo or two to go along with whatever is going to be guarding the delivery convoy?”

Meredith leaned back into her chain. “I understand if you don’t want to take this job. Especially after the last one.”

V winced. “Well…”

She laid her hand on V’s shoulder, squeezing it. “You’ll be backed by Militech soldiers, a detachment from Lazarus, and some badges from the NCPD. Not to mention the exosuits will be ready by then, and will have pilots on standby in case something goes wrong. And like I said, it’ll be a week before we send them out.” Her eyes looked him up and down. He look mostly healed, and still had that bulge in his shorts. She wondered how often he…better to stop thinking about that and focus.

V cracked his neck, then his shoulders. “Alright, I’ll do it.”

Meredith smiled. She couldn’t resist the urge to hug him, wrapping her arms around him tightly. She could feel his heart beating hard into hers. She realized what she had done, and pulled away quickly. V’s eyes were wide open, and so was his mouth. “I-I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.”

V was still shocked, but waved it off. “N-no harm done.”

Meredith looked out the window, unable to meet V’s gaze after her impromptu display of affection. “So like I said, you’ll have plenty of back up. You could bring some of your own if you’d like. Maybe Jackie?”

“Yeah, I’ll bring Jackie along. And Panam too.”

“Panam?” She turned back V, intrigued. He gestured to the frame of the girl kissing him. Another twitch of the eye and a bit of jealousy rising up.

“She’s a Nomad, doesn’t care for corpos, but I’m sure I could get her on board. You said it was an outpost just outside the city. Maybe she could help with that.”

“A Nomad? Is she another friend of yours? Just how do you know her?” Just who was this Nomad girl who was close enough to give him a kiss on the cheek? Best to play it cool, but dig as deep as she can.

“We met during a gig Rogue gave us.” V smiled, giving that dreamy look he sometimes gave her. The jealousy intensified, and she found herself balling her fists again. “She’s really nice, smart too. And a great crackshot.”

“Looks like you two are pretty close judging from that frame.” Meredith couldn’t help but smirk as V’s expression changed, from dreamy to down. “So are you two…”

“No! I mean, we’re not…together.” A breath of relief. Just a friend who no sense of boundaries it seems. Everyone had one, even her at one point. “To be honest, sometimes it seems like she wants more, but I just don’t feel that way about her. I really like her, but she’s more like a sister at this point. Same way Jackie’s my brother.” V sighed, his face faltering. He rubbed his head, curls entangled between synthetic fingers. “She’s done so much for me the past couple weeks. She’s fed me, help me with keeping this place clean, even stayed the night a couple times.”

Meredith lay her hand on V’s own, intertwined her fingers with his. She squeezed ever so slightly. V looked up at her, eyes widening. “Someone like that sounds like a keeper. But if you aren’t interested, then you aren’t interested.” She cupped his chin with the other, bringing the faces closer. “And then find someone you do like.” She felt herself leaning forward. It was now or never. “Maybe someone who even likes you back.”

V found himself leaning forward as well, his eyes closing. He felt lightheaded again, the butterflies in his stomach were churning, and not from the breakfast. Johnny stood nearby, already voicing his complaints. V shut him out, and just as their lips were about to meet, there was a knock on the door. They both jumped at the sound, nearly falling out of their chairs.

“Got more company it seems,” V grumbled, already walking towards the door.

Meredith was fuming. Who else came at this hour? Actually, what time was it? She pulled up her HUD. 7:10. Ok, not an unreasonable time for someone to come. But it didn’t exactly make her happy, whoever V’s latest guest was having killed the mood. She was intent on telling this person off until she heard V yelp in surprise.

She turned to see Panam, the Nomad from the frame, hugging V as tightly as she can. The sight made her feel uneasy, and brought out yet another bout of jealousy, this one much stronger than the last. It seems that she had competition, despite V saying he wasn’t interested in the girl. Well two can play at that game.

Meredith got up, walking over to the pair. V and Panam were talking about Vik, something about her taking V for a checkup at his clinic. Just as sudden as her first hug, Meredith wrapped her arms around V’s waist, bringing him closer to her.

“Are you going to introduce me?” she asked, laying her chin atop V’s head. She met Panam’s gaze, not breaking contact.

V was silent, shocked and not knowing how to process this. Panam’s eyes widened, then turned into slits as she met the corpo’s gaze. Meredith gave the younger woman a sly grin. They kept this up until V spoke.

“P-Panam, this is Meredith Stout,” he said shakily. “She’s the Militech corpo I mentioned before.”

Said corpo let go of V, and stood in front of Panam. “Take it you’re the Nomad V mentioned?” She held out her hand. To her credit, Panam shook her hand, gripping it as tightly as she can and smiling innocently as she did so. Meredith was disappointed at this sad display of intimidation. She wasn’t as strong as she thinks, so getting her out of the way shouldn’t be a problem.

“I am,” the Nomad answered. “So glad I could finally put a face to the name.”

“I would say the same, but I’d be lying. That picture over there gave quite an impression.” She gestured to the frame.

Panam let go of Meredith’s hand, planting both on her hips. “There is nothing wrong with showing affection between friends. You yourself have just demonstrated that. Though I wouldn’t have thought a corpo was capable of having friends.”

Meredith folded her arms, looming over Panam. “Despite what you think, we’re human too. And V here is a nice person.”

“Yes he is. Makes me wonder why he’s even talking to a corpo in the first place.”

Meredith rolled her eyes, and sighed. “Well, I can see I’m not wanted here, so it’s time I should get going. I’ll be seeing you soon, Ms. Panam.” She turned to V, patting him on the cheek. “And I’ll see _you_ later, V.” With that, she left, leaving Panam fuming and V nervous.

Johnny leaned on the doorway, bringing another cigarette to his lips. “Welp, looks like you got yourself in a bit of a pickle, V. Corpo on one side, Nomad on the other. Both with their eyes on the prize. The prize being you.”

“Not really,” V replied. “Remember last night?”

“Jesus, are you really going to do it? Are you actually going to put Panam in the friend zone?”

“Well, it’s like I told you and Meredith: I’m just not into her. And it’s like you said, the answer will come on its own. Maybe this is it?”

Johnny sighed, taking a long drag of his cigarette before answering. “Remember what you said to me that one time? ‘You were able draw people in, but I could never keep them for long. The ones that did hated me and loved me all at once. And they paid the price for it. Still living in the past.’” He blew out smoke. “I don’t know, V. You could do some real stupid shit and get yourself in some messes.”

“But I’ve always been able to get out of them.”

“I don’t know about this one. Just...just go easy on Panam.”

“Johnny…” But he already disappeared back into the Relic. Shaking his head, V turned back to Panam. “Uh, sorry about that. She just came over and…”

Panam instantly brightened up, smiling at him. “You have nothing to apologize for. Though it is strange that you had a corpo over. Didn’t think they’re the type to be visiting someone out of the kindness of their nonexistent hearts.”

V shrugged. “Hehe, I guess I just have that magnetic personality.”

She laughed, lightly punching him on the arm. “You and your jokes.” Her gaze drifted up and down, settling on his shorts. A minute passed before she heard V clear his throat. She shook her head and looked back at him. “So, uh, are you going to get ready?”

“Yeah, let me just thrown on a couple things and we’ll be off.”

As she watched him getting dressed, Panam couldn’t help but feel a bit threatened. She and V were two peas in a pod, and despite the difference in upbringing, he had adapted to the Nomad way fairly well. The Aldecaldos had accepted him as their own, and they had grown closer.

But this corpo…Jackie had told her about the last job they did for her, and all the times before that. He mentioned her running over the Tyger Claws, killing the last survivor, and of her giving V stolen glances while Jackie was trying to save him. But to see this woman brazenly grabbing V as if he were her property, well that wasn’t going to do. And so as she and V left the megabuilding, Panam wondered how she was going to tell V how she felt. Maybe the ride over to Vik’s will give her the answers. Little did she know she was going to get one, but the one she wasn’t going to like.


	7. The Drive

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Panam gets a new car, drives V over to Misty's, and lets him know how she really feels.

It wasn’t that far to Vik’s from his apartment, and neither was the walk over to Panam’s car did as well, but it seemed like an eternity. The Nomad being unusually quiet, shocked by Meredith’s unexpected appearance. As they reached the second floor, Mrs. Fiala had called out to him.

“Good morning, V!” she exclaimed.

V waved back, a smile on his face. “Good morning to you too, Mrs. Fiala! How’s business?”

She smiled. “Slow, as always. But a nice corporate lady came by not too long ago, and bought the most beautiful bouquet.”

Panam laid a hand on her hip, disbelieving. “A corporate lady?”

The florist nodded. “It was strange, seeing such a cold looking woman buying my flowers, but she said it was for someone she cares very much. I hope whoever she gave them to knows how luck he is to be getting such a nice gift. Even gave her a little get well card too, and she gave me a tip!”

Panam and V exchanged glances, shocked.

Mrs. Fiala sighed, resting her hand on her cheek. “If only my husband was as generous as that corpo…”

V rolled his eyes, and transferred some eddies over to her. Plucking up a couple of roses, he put one in the older woman’s silver hair, grinning as he did so. He then gave the other to Panam, with the Nomad swooning as he stuck it in her high bun. As he appeared behind the florist, Johnny couldn’t help but smile. It was little things like this that made V a breath of fresh air, compared to everyone else he met, the rockerboy included. Against his better judgement, he wondered how Rogue and Alt would have reacted to him doing something like that. He couldn’t think of an answer.

Mrs. Fiala nearly fainted. “Oh V! If only everyone were such a sweetheart as you!” She glanced over to Panam. “And you! I hope he makes you very happy!”

“He does,” Panam replied. She stared at V, wrapping an arm around him, pulling him close. “He does very much.”

V smiled back at her, and led her down. He said his goodbye to Mrs. Fiala, and greeted the other residents as they passed them. Coach Fred and the other gymnasts, the various stall workers, even a few cops said hello to the merc. More than a few of them whistled, thinking they were a couple. It certainly looked that way. V hadn’t shaken off her arm, so that was a good sign.

All the while Panam was still annoyed at Meredith for grabbing V as she did. Just who the hell did that woman think she was? Never mind that she was a corpo, there were some things you couldn’t buy with money, or bribe with guns and cybernetics, or threaten with violence. What she had with V was special, he was family. And with a bit of luck and tact, she hoped to start one with him. But she was getting ahead of herself, best to start slow.

Reaching the bottom floor, V couldn’t help but be impressed at Panam’s new car. He whistled as he took it in, admiring the sleek curves of the Guinevere.

“It’s not like I haven’t seen it before,” V began. “But I’ll never get tired of looking at it.”

“I know, right?” Panam said. “It’s nothing compared to my Thornton, but just look at it! Kerry offered it up for a job well done, and how could I say no?”

“Kerry offered…wait, he gave you his?”

Panam shrugged. “Yeah. Said something about being able to shit out eddies, got a career spanning 70 years. Ask his ex.” She cleared her throat. “All his saying for the record.”

V smiled, shaking his head. “That sounds like him. Let’s get a move on.” He went over to the driver’s side, and opened the door. He beckoned with a hand. “Ladies first.”

Panam patted V on the cheek as she climbed in. “Why thank you kind sir! That woman was right, you are a sweetheart.” She couldn’t stop smiling as he sat next to her, his face beaming with joy. Closing the doors, they drove off.

She took another glance over him. He looked all better, but Vik would be the judge of that. His eyes shined brightly, the light from the gleaming sun reflecting from the dark brown optics. His hair, normally a loose mess of curls, now pulled back into a ponytail, with some strands gushing from it.

He had on a Samurai tank top, the dark red shirt clung tightly onto him. It showed off his physique while keeping his modesty. A pair of cargo pants, basic armored grey camo, offering some protection as well as a bit of style. She noticed a little M on the side. Panam didn’t need to know what it stood for, the camo being a good indicator.

He caught her staring at him. “Is everything alright?” V looked at her with those bright eyes. Why did he have to be so breathtaking?

“Y-yeah,” she replied. Dammit. Keep calm. Don’t lose focus. Don’t give him away. Don’t want to end up in an accident just ‘cause you were looking at him like he’s the best thing since sliced bread. “Just making sure you’re ok.”

V looked down on himself, then raised his arms, inspecting them. “I’ve ran a system check just after we’ve left. And I don’t feel like a truck just rammed into to me, so it’s safe to say I’m all good now.”

“I think we will leave that to Dr. Vik to decide.”

V shrugged, and looked out the window. “I wasn’t with TT for that long, but I am a decent diagnostician. And a surgeon too. Maybe not a ripperdoc like Vik, but I know my way around a body.”

Panam raised an eyebrow, giving V a naughty smile. For the briefest of moments, she wondered what it would have been like to be in that corpo’s shoes, or lack thereof. “Careful, V, remember how you got fired? Or do you need a reminder?”

V shuddered. “That was a mistake and you know it! Besides, I didn’t mean it like that!”

“How did you mean it then?” They sat in silence as they drove down the streets, then laughed. “But seriously, let’s leave the final verdict to the professional. I’ve no doubt your expertise, but Vik’s been doing this for a long time, and you’re still pretty young.”

“Yeah, you’re right. He’s done me and Jackie nothing but good. Gave me cutting edge optics when I was in the red, not knowing if I’d be able to pay him off. Got him the eddies as soon as I got them.”

Panam nodded. “See, _that’s_ what I like about you, V. You keep your word, and you’re loyal to your friends.”

“I could say the same about you.”

Now it was Panam’s turn to blush. “Oh hush you! I’m serious. There’s a lot I like about you. You’re so nice, you’re a great mechanic and crafter, you’re almost as good as me guzzling booze, and you’ve saved my life when I got shot in the gut. I mean, I could go on.” She sighed, remembering that day. A bullet to the stomach, an expired MaxDoc that wouldn’t have helped even if it wasn’t. Panam would have died if not for V, treating her as she screamed, Mitch holding her down as the merc stitched her shut.

“It’s no big deal. Besides, robbing from Arasaka’s bound to bring heavy heat, so it’s to be expected. Just glad I could help.”

“And we got the schematics for that Relic of yours, along with other sorts of goodies from our Japanese friends. Speaking of which, how’s your…roommate?” Panam was just one of the growing number of people to know about the Relic’s inhabitant. Everyone had an opinion, all going into camps regarding the engram. Some didn’t care for a known terrorist inside V’s head, while others envied him for having a celebrity practically living with him. The only ones who didn’t know were Kerry and Rogue, and for the foreseeable future, it was going to stay that way.

V looked at the back seat. Johnny was laying on both seats, playing with a couple of his Lucky Strikes, juggling them. Or trying to at least. The artificial cigarettes dissipated when they fell to the floor, only for the rockerboy to materialize more.

The merc shook his head and turned back to Panam. “Same as he’s always been.”

Johnny sat up, putting back his cigarettes. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You know what it means.” Johnny scoffed, letting the rest drop and lit one up. He blew the smoke in V’s direction. The merc ignored it, turning back to Panam. “He’s all heart.”

“I’m sure.” She looked to the back, seeing nothing. What was it like, having someone with you 24/7 nonstop? “Kerry must have been shocked.”

“He doesn’t know.”

She looked to him, surprised. “What?”

“Yeah, he doesn’t know. Johnny won’t let me tell the guy.” Ever since V had met Kerry, when he saved him from that group of angry Us Crack fans, Johnny hadn’t deigned to show himself whenever his former bandmate was around. It was infuriating, having seen Johnny’s memories of his old friend and how he treated him. “I’m the only one in this band with a vision,” he heard him saying far too many times, mostly after he shot into a crowd. Every time he brought up the subject ended up with him on the receiving end of a cluster of curses that would make any fixer blush.

“And why not?”

“Unresolved issues, not wanting to face up to his fuckups, the standard stuff.” V didn’t need to turn around to see Johnny’s cold glare. “Had every chance to, even offered to let him take over my body.”

Panam’s eyes widened. “He can do that?”

V nodded. “Yeah, though only if I let him or if I’m flaked out. Sleeping doesn’t count for some reason. I should know, he’s tried.” It was V’s turn to glare at the rockerboy, who rolled his eyes.

“In my defense,” Johnny began. “I just woke up, fifty years into the future, in some dude’s head, and I was dying for a smoke. Give me a break.”

“I think you got plenty of breaks. Next time I see Kerry, I’m _making_ you talk to the man.”

“I’d like to see you try.”

“Another reason why we’re going to Vik’s. He’s got omega blockers and pseudoendotrizine.”

“What?”

“Pills that decrease and increase neural activity connected to certain cybernetics. I take the blue pill, and you’ll be shut back into that chip in my head. I take the red pill and you’ll be in control, with me taking a back seat.”

Johnny shot up. V never seen him like this before. He looked almost panicked. “H-hey, let’s talk about this.”

“Nah, we’re done talking.” V sagged into his seat. He ignored Johnny’s continued outbursts, having heard the same things numerous times, mostly from other people.

Panam watched the whole thing unfold, watching him argue with thin air. If it wasn’t for the fact Jackie and Vik backed up his story, along with the schematics they discovered, she would have dismissed V as insane. “And you’re ok with him taking over, even if it’s for a short while?”

V sat back up, sighing. “To be honest, I’m not sure. But like I said, the dude’s got a lot of unresolved issues, and there has to be closure. If nothing else than to stop the constant stream of random memories being fed into me every night.” He winced. “I don’t think I can look at Rogue the same way ever again.”

Panam chuckled. “Haha, to be honest myself, I could say the same about you.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Back at the apartment, with that corpo.” V had fallen silent, but Panam was sure he was screaming on the inside. “V, I could smell the coffee and sausages. You were having breakfast with her?”

“Y-yeah. I mean, she came by, wanting to see how I was doing.”

“Mmmhmm. Right. And her bringing flowers?”

“A get well soon gift?”

Panam stared at V, her eyes going cold. “And when she grabbed you like that?”

V was sweating now, nervous. “Uh, just being friendly? To be fair, it’s not like you haven’t done that either.” He feel Johnny’s disapproval as he said those words.

“I see. And is there something wrong with me showing affection like that?”

V held up his hands. “Now, I didn’t say that. Besides, I gave as good as I got.” That brought a smile to Panam’s face, she felt her chest clutch.

They arrived at Misty’s, just across from where she had just parked. Panam gripped the steering wheel and stared down at the floor. “V, there’s something I have to tell you. At first, I thought you were just another punk from Afterlife, looking to make a name for themselves.”

V gave a cheeky smile. “Well, technically I am.”

She nearly melted under that face he made. “Oh, hush you! But I’m serious. No one would have done even a quarter of the things you’ve done for us, for me.” She took a breath, and continued. “Truth is, I like you, V.” She stared him straight in the eyes, as if peering into his soul. “Like, I really like you a lot. Maybe even lo…” Panam stopped, the words stuck in her mouth.

V felt his heart drop. She didn’t need to continue, the meaning was clear. He swallowed the knot he felt in his throat and spoke. “Panam, I like you too. Like a lot. You’ve done a lot for me too, more than anyone I’ve known. But…I don’t see that happening.”

And there it was. Panam would have burst into tears, and it took everything she had to keep it together. So she waited for V to continue.

V fidgeted, unable to meet Panam’s gaze. He didn’t need to look to know she was hurt. He could feel her pain. “You’re my best friend, aside from Jackie. You and the others, you’re like my family. Hell, you _are_ my family. And I don’t want to ruin that.”

Panam took his hand into hers, despite her heartache, and she squeezed gently. “Nothing can ruin what we have, V.” She rested her head on his shoulder, trying not to fall apart. “If you don’t have the same feelings as I do, I don’t blame you. No one can force someone to-”

“Fall in love?” V finished for her.

She smiled sadly. “Yeah, that.”

They sat in the car, with V comforting her. Johnny shook his head. He really when ahead and did it, though considerably gentler than he would have done were he in V’s position. He recalled Rogue, screaming and cursing at him, after she had caught him in bed with a couple of groupies. She put on a strong front, but it broke when they did. The former solo became a sobbing and howling mess, throwing things at him. Alt wasn’t any different, though she preferred quickhacks to playing pitch at him. All it had done was short-circuit his arm.

“Come on,” Panam said at last. “Let’s get you to Vik.”

“Yeah, let’s,” V said.

Giving her hand one last squeeze, the pair got out, walking over to Misty’s Esoterica. Panam had her arm around V’s shoulder, and like last time, he didn’t shrug it off. Despite what V had said, Panam held out hope. They were far closer than he was with the corpo, ignoring her forwardness with V. She just needed to think and plan carefully. Panam pondered this as they went inside.


	8. The Checkup

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which V goes over to see his dear friends Jackie and Misty, goes over the gig with him and Panam, gets looked over by Vik, and gets a tarot reading on his future with Meredith.

As usual, the shop was empty, the majority of Night City having no taste for spirituality, the few that did clinging to the last remnants of old faiths. The scent of candles wafted in the small shop, the sweet aroma enough to make anyone feel at ease. Like V, Panam had found herself often visiting the store, finding solace in Misty’s tarot readings. Speaking of which, the eponymous owner was preoccupied with Jackie, her arms wrapped around him, sharing a deep kiss with the larger man, his jacket on the floor and her clothes slightly skewed. After V’s rejection, Panam felt ever so slightly dickish. She slammed the door shut, making the two jump.

“Hope I’m not interrupting anything,” she said coyly, giving a shit eating smile. Behind her, V looked surprised.

Misty composed herself, adjusting her clothes. “N-no, just uh…”

“Just catching up,” Jackie said smoothly. He picked up his jacket and slid it back on. “Speaking of which, man of the hour! Already up and about, eh? Let’s get a good look at you.” He picked up V by the shoulders, lifting him up. “You don’t look so bad. Bet you could take on Adam Smasher and Morgan Blackhand with one hand tied!”

“Nice to see you too, _hermano_ ,” V said dryly. He glanced at the tarot reader, smiling at him. “You too, Misty.” She waved at him, giggling.

Johnny appeared sitting on one of the chairs. “Might wanna let him down. V here’s got enough problems as it is. Little man syndrome doesn’t need to be one of them.”

“Ah, come on! They say the biggest surprises come in small packages!” Jackie chuckled as he put V down, red in the face. “But seriously, good to see you pulled through. Just need a clean bill of health from Vik and we’ll be back to working. Already got a simple gig from Regina lined up.”

That reminded him. “So do I actually, though we’ll have to wait a week. More than enough time to prep.”

“News to me,” Panam said. “What’s this about-” She sighed, the pieces coming together. “Don’t tell me that suit asked you for more work?”

A surprised look came on Jackie’s face. “Wait, suit? Stout?”

V rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah, she came over and-”

“Came over?!”

“Yeah, she had flowers and-”

“Flowers?!”

Johnny slapped Jackie on the back of his head. At least a few of the nanites from the Relic were in him, allowing the merc to see and interact with him. Jackie jerked and glared at the rockerboy. “If you’re done screaming and interrupting V, I’ll explain the rest.” And so he did, omitting the near kiss the corpo shared with V. Jackie listened, with Misty, unable to see Johnny, settling for making a reading for Panam. V sat down, waiting for them to finish.

“So, right after you got fucked up on a job for this corp,” Jackie began. “You wanna do _another_ one for her?”

V gave a sheepish grin. “C’mon, she pays well.”

“Money’s not everything.”

He raised an eyebrow at that. “Well, well, well. Never thought I’d hear you say that.”

Jackie smirked. “Well, Konepki gave me a new perspective on things. _Que extraño_. She shows up at your doorstep even though I didn’t call her.”

That caught V’s attention. “Wait what?”

Jackie looked abashed, even guilty. “After we brought you here, Stout asked me to call her, wanting an update on your sitch. I thought you could use a break from her.”

“My idea actually,” Johnny spoke up. “But from what your dumbass is planning, seems like break’s over.”

The larger merc sighed. “V, far be it from me to get involved in something personal but…”

V raised an eyebrow. “But?”

“Not really sure what’s going on between you two.”

“ _Que se supone que significa eso_?”

“She’s a corpo who gave you a spiked chip that pissed off half of Maelstrom and now she’s bring you flowers?

V shrugged his shoulders. “Maybe she’s warming up to me?”

Jackie gestured to V’s right arm. “Well, she’s gotta be to give you something like that.” He laid a hand on the smaller man’s shoulder and looked him in the eye. “I don’t like this, but you being the _mula terca_ that you are, I’m betting you’re going to take the job anyway. Someone’s got to keep your dumbass alive, may as well be me, Vincent.”

V smiled, touched that he used his real name. “Thanks, Jack. Really, I mean it _hermano_.”

Panam walked over to the two, having finished with Misty’s reading. “So, what I missed?”

“Nothing much,” Jackie said. “Just going over the gig with Stout.”

Panam sighed. “Sounds about right. Misty’s reading pretty much saying I’ll find myself in a situation I will not like.”

“Heh, sounds about right.”

“We’ll be backed up by Militech stooges,” V began. “A Lazarus platoon, and NCPD badges. We’ll be guarding a convoy leading from some facility just outside the city. Makes me wonder why she even needs us, but I’m not going to turn her down.”

The Nomad nodded. “I think I know the place. Little R&D center. Popular raiding spot for the Shivs, so it’s well defended. And as you said, they’ve got Lazarus and Militech guarding the place. But as it so happens, I know a safe route.”

V hesitated before speaking. “Look, I know how you feel about corps. And you’ve got the right to say no. But you’re a Nomad, you know the Badlands like the palm of your hand.”

Panam laid her hands on her hips. She couldn’t help but swoon. “Flattery will get you everywhere, V.”

He rolled his eyes. “I’m serious. Hell, you’re practically Queen of the Highway. We could use you. And she’s pretty generous.”

“Is that so?”

Jackie laughed. “Suit’s taken a liking to this one here.” He patted him on the back. “She’s his _mamá de azúcar_.” The two women burst out laughing, with V groaning. “But to be fair, she really is generous. Just look at V’s fancy new arm.”

“So what do you say?” V asked. He looked her in the eye. “Wanna be the third part in our squad?”

“Squad,” she remarked. “Charming. But with an invitation like that, how can I refuse?”

Now it was the Nomad’s turn to be picked up. Jackie spun her around, gripping her tightly. “ _Bienvenida a la familia, chica_!”

Despite herself, she couldn’t help but laugh. They really were like the clan, so familial. Misty just shook her head, grinning. She led them to the back, and walked down the stairwell. As they did, V and Jackie continued speaking.

“So you fed her _mi Mama’s huevos y salchichas_?” Jackie asked.

V shrugged. “I was going to eat all of it, but Johnny here suggested I give her some.” He gestured to the engram, trailing behind them. “Feed the corpo, he said.” That made Jackie burst out laughing, with the rockerboy shaking his head.

“I could hear her stomach rumbling, V,” Johnny sighed. “You’re the one wanting to get in her pants, so I thought, why not extend an olive branch?”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

“Still though, if she didn’t came, were you really going to eat all of that?”

“Yeah?” He turned to Johnny. “What’s wrong with that?”

“Ok, it’s official: you two are the biggest gluttons I’ve ever met.”

Jackie would have patted Johnny on the back if he could. He just settled for laughing even louder. “Aw c’mon! You’re sharing a body with V here, right? You can taste _mi Mama’s_ food, who could say no to something so delicious?”

“Yeah,” V began. “That’s the problem with you. Maybe Kerry too. You guys are used to carryout that you don’t know what real food tastes like anymore. When’s the last time you had something homemade?” He stared Johnny in the eyes. “I mean not through me. Something your own mom made? Or an ex or someone?”

Johnny thought about it, and groaned. Rogue was known these days as a fixer, and was one of the greatest solos Night City had seen, but a little known skill she had was cooking. Her _Pierogi_ and _Bigos_ were truly some of the best things he’d ever eaten. Alt wasn’t bad either, her Key Lime Pie was something he looked forward too after a concert. That and the sleepless night they’d often have, but that was another story.

“So,” Jackie asked. “What’d the suit think of it? I’m sure Miss Stout is used to something a little more refined, but who could hate Mama Welles’ food?”

V smiled at him, and gave two thumbs up. “She loved it, Jack. Said it didn’t hold a candle to what she usually ate. If she even eats at all.”

Jackie gave a big grin. “That’s what I like to hear! Living off of stim pills might not give someone a good palate, but at least she knows good food when she eats it. Besides.” He nudge the smaller merc on the arm, giving him a knowing smile. “Something tells me you might get a chance to feed her again. And I’m not talking about _mi Mama’s_ food.”

The group burst out laughing at V’s expense. Jackie couldn’t help but notice how forced Panam’s laughter was, with just the slightest amount of anguish. Her crush on V was something of an open secret, and more than a few people were waiting for the merc to make a move on the Nomad. He turned to Johnny, and he mouthed “friendzoned.” So that’s how it is between her and V. Oh well, can’t force someone in something they don’t want. He turned back to V, his face fiery red. He gave a sympathetic smile, and patted him on the back.

They reached the gate, the dimly lit clinic bathed in neon light, with only a bright beam shining on the operating chair in the center. Misty looked, and found the man they were looking for.

“Dr. Vector,” Misty called out. “Your favorite patient is here.”

The gate slid open, and the group walked through. Viktor shut off the TV, likely watching yet another boxing match. He stood up, stretching his arms and greeted them. His eyes glanced towards V, and smiled.

“Well, don’t get too many visitors all at once,” he began. “Last few times ended up with V here on my operating chair. Good to see you up and about, kid.”

“Thanks, Vic,” the merc responded. “I’m feeling a lot better, and I’ve ran a diagnostic, but I’ll leave the final verdict over to you.”

He nodded. “Smart choice. Sit down, relax, take a load off while I look at you.” He led V to the large chair, having him jack in while the doc injected himself with a relaxing sedative. “Just going to do a little probing, checking on that chip you’ve got up there.” He gestured to the port housing the Relic.

It took thirty minutes, mostly running deep through scans throughout V’s body. Everything was in working order, all implants operational. His armor plating integrity was one hundred percent. The Relic was at optimal efficiency, no damage or interference with V’s synapses. All the while, Panam hovered over the two, watching Vik carefully.

“Well, I can say with certainty you’ve made a full recovery,” Vik said at last. “Implants are all in the green. Chip’s connection is stable, no risk for the nanites doing anything they shouldn’t be doing to that head of yours.” He glanced to V’s right arm. “And your gift from the corpo woman’s all ready to go. Cold woman like her must really like you to give away something like that.”

Remembering their near kiss and her hugs back at the apartment, V nodded. “Yeah, I guess so.” He smiled at nothing in particular, then sat up. “Should come in handy for the new job.”

Vik look at V as if he had grown another head. He looked from him, to Jackie and Panam, then back to his patient. “Soo soon? You’re sure you wanna take another job after last time?”

V shrugged. “Don’t see why not. It’s a week from now, more than enough time to prepare. Plus I got a new toy to play with. Mostly it’s just guard duty for some convoy. Though before then, I’ll be doing whatever Regina’s got ready for us.”

“Just a simple klep, nothing to it,” Jackie said. “We’ll be robbing a place in Kabuki.”

“Remember the Tyger Claws?”

Jackie nodded. “We’ve got Panam here along with us. Nothing will go wrong with three badass solos going at them.” That brought a smile to the Nomad’s face. It was nice to know she’d grown on Jackie as well.

“As much as I’m interested in Miss Jones’ work,” Vik chipped in. “I’d really like to hear more about this job V seems eager to do for Stout, especially since he nearly got killed.” He fixed the merc with a look, the latter nearly wilting under his gaze.

“We’ll also be having Militech and Lazarus doing the grunt work. Plus some cops. We’re just there for insurance. Who’s going to be after _two_ corps, plus the badges?”

“Really?” Vik asked. “With a battalion of borg soldiers and the police, makes me wonder why she needs you lot. Militech alone has plenty of solos. Take Blackhand for example.” He gave V a meaningful smirk. “Careful, kid. Kicking boots with a corp never ends well.” That made the others snicker, though V could have sworn he saw Panam’s eye twitch ever so slightly. “Remember that Trauma Team’s wife you banged?”

V groaned. “Why does everyone keep mentioning that?!”

“Just looking out for you, V. Take it from someone who’s been there.”

V’s eyes widened. “Now that sounds like a story.”

“Not much to tell, it ended pretty much the way yours did. Got tossed into a dumpster.” The ripperdoc shook his head, laughing to himself.

“Well, I’ll be careful, Vik. Got those pills I asked for?”

The ripperdoc, still chuckling, passed him two pill containers, one red and one blue. “Don’t take both at once, and only one every four hours. Effects will last half that long.”

Johnny glared at V as he took the pills and stuffed them into his pocket. “Thanks as always, Vik.”

“Take this too. Knowing you, you’re going to be winding up doing something with that corp.” He handed him a pack of condoms, giving the younger man a wink as he did so. Jackie and Misty burst out laughing. Panam looked bemused.

Johnny patted V on the shoulder. “Well, looks like if all goes well with this job, the corpo will-”

“Please stop,” V begged. “Not you too.”

“Hey, just saying. Maybe sugar mama will give you some sugar after all.”

“No more words from you. Please.”

Johnny leaned right into V's face and whispered, “Calisthenics.” The younger man shuddered, making Johnny laugh. “Hey, you said no more words. I said _a_ word.”

“Just stop talking” Johnny made a thrusting motion, and then some moans. That earned another round of laughter, though only after Jackie had told Panam and Misty what the engram was doing through his giggling. V turned back to Vik, trying to ignore them. “So what do I owe you?”

“Just make sure you come back in one piece, and don’t get any STDs from that suit, you hear me?”

V could only nod, hopping off the chair and joining the laughing trio as they made their way out. As they made their way back inside the Esoterica, Misty turned to V.

“While you’re here,” she began. “Why not a quick reading?”

“Don’t see why not,” V replied. “I just hope it’s nothing unpleasant. I’ve had more than my fill of explosions. And getting kicked in the nuts. And getting run over.”

“Pinky promise it’ll be something nice this time. I’ve got a good feeling about this.

Misty took a seat behind the counter, and brought out her deck. V took a seat across from her she pulled out the first card.

“The Lovers?” V asked. Behind him, Panam suppressed the urge to groan. Of course something like that would show up.

Misty nodded. “The Lovers represent relationships and choices. You may make a decision about an existing relationship, or choose one person while another is rejected.” As she said those words, Misty noticed V wincing. She glanced at Jackie, who gestured to Panam with his eyes. Ah.

She pulled out another card, one with a man and woman drinking from goblets. “The Two of Cups symbolizes the strong bond between two people. It reflects the commitment they make in a relationship.”

One more card was placed in front of V. A chalice overflowing with five streams of water pouring down from it. “The Ace of Cups, interesting.”

“Oh I remember that one,” Jackie said. “Our first reading!” Panam had also gotten that card, just before going down to the ripperdoc’s clinic.

Misty gave a smile. “Still feeling those butterflies, borgchop?”

Now it was V’s turn to laugh, and for Jackie to be embarrassed. Panam had her fill of laughter for the day, and settled for giving the larger merc a smug grin. As his laughter died down, V asked, “Butterflies?”

“You’re going to feel like a teenager again, feeling nothing but bliss, wanting to spend every waking moment with the object of your desire.”

“You’re already acting like a teenager again,” Johnny whispered. He leaned down and spoke into his ear. “You’re a mess of hormones, Jackie too from what little time I spent in his head. And I’m betting Panam isn’t any different from you lot. And who knows, maybe the corpo’s the same way. I mean, she brought you flowers and try to kiss you.”

V glared at him, then got up. He felt like he was on cloud nine. All of Misty’s predictions had come true thus far, and hopefully this one will too. “Thanks, Misty. At least it doesn’t say I’m going to get my ass beat or hit by a bus again.”

“Knowing your love of risk,” Misty began. “I’d just be a little more careful. And avoid bus stops.” She turned to Jackie and Panam. “Make sure he doesn’t do anything too stupid, you hear me?”

“We will try,” Panam answered. She threw an arm over V, bringing him close. “Though knowing him, it’s going to be an undertaking of a lifetime, especially with that ghost in his head.”

“Haha, very funny.” V couldn’t help but smile. It was times like this he was glad to have her around, bantering like siblings.

“Well, we’re off,” Jackie said. He leaned forward, and kissed Misty deeply. “ _Te veré pronto mi amor_.”

“ _Solo asegúrate de volver a cenar_.” She kissed him again on the cheek, and waved them off as they left.

V turned to Jackie, asking, “Since when did Misty learn Spanish?”

“After the heist,” he answered. “She and _Madre_ gotten closer, what with me nearly dying. Misty wanted to feel like family, so she took lessons.” They reached the car, and Jackie let out a low whistle. “Nice ride, V. I knew we’d hit the major leagues, but to get something like this…”

“It’s mine actually,” Panam said. “Kerry gave it to me as payment for a job I did for him.”

“Must have been some gig for him to give you this. Speaking of which.” He brought up an app from his phone, and moments later, his bike made it way to them. It stopped just a foot away from the Guinevere. “Lemme get Regina on the holo.” He tapped another app, and the fixer showed up on the screen. The other two solos leaned close to it.

“Glad to see you’re still kicking, V,” Regina said. “Jackie fill you in on the job?”

V nodded. “Just a basic kelp, right?”

“Yup, no risk of getting blown up, or having your clothes melted. Got some ready just in case though.”

No laughter this time, save from the fixer. Just raised eyebrows and smirks directed at V. He sighed, asked, “Not going to let me live that down are you?”

“Nope. But if it’s any consolation, that vid of you getting hauled off naked is up to sixty nine million views.” This time there was laughter, with Johnny howling like a hyena. “Sending you the detes for the assignment.”

Jackie got on his bike, and V and Panam into the Rayfield. As they drove off, V couldn’t help but wonder about Misty’s reading. The Lovers card, he chose Meredith over Panam. The Two of Cups pretty much spells out the increasing bond between the two. And the last one, the Ace of Cups, V had butterflies fluttering in his stomach when Meredith visited him. And when she touched him, reaching towards him the way she did, V felt the height of euphoria.

But seeing that look on Panam’s face when he said he wanted to be friends…why did things have to be so complicated? It’s best to give her some time, let her know he will still be there for her, not as her input but as her friend.

With one hand, he pressed it on the Nomad’s own. Her eyes widened, and she smiled, intertwining her fingers with his. With the other, he tapped the condoms Vik had given him, having a feeling he’s going to be needing them very soon.


End file.
